Content management for packet-communicating devices

Abstract

Media content associated with a playlist is provided for remote access over a packet-based network. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a host server provides access to a user-defined playlist depicting media content available from user's media content source (e.g., at a registered user's PC). User-defined playlists and associated media content are managed to facilitate access to media in accordance with characteristics of the media content and/or playlist such as format and bitrate, and as may be related to an intended playback use of the playlist. Media content for the playlists is stored in a network storage device for remote access, with the storage managed to facilitate remote access in appropriate formats, with selective cross-referencing among playlists for different playlist types, content format and content bandwidth.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and 
 at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, 
 the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,
 initiate a storage of media content and playlist data at a network-based storage based, at least in part, on cross-referencing content mapping that identifies one or more media content titles each of which is under at least two playlists without duplicating media content files for the one or more media content titles in the network-based storage, wherein the cross-referencing content mapping identifies at least two formats of media content files for each of the one or more media content titles; 
 authenticate playlist requests received via a packet-based network, wherein requested playlists in the playlist requests identify at least one commonly requested media content title belonging to two or more of the requested playlists; and 
 initiate a delivery of a set of the media content files from the network-based storage via the packet-based network to a remote playback device based, at least in part, on the cross-referencing content mapping that identifies the set of the media content files being associated with the requested playlists and including the at least one commonly requested media content title. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 receive format information for the delivery of the set of the media content files associated with the requested playlists, wherein the format information includes at least two formats of media content files corresponding to the at least one commonly requested media content title, and the at least two formats of media content files are determined based, at least in part, on a device type of the remote playback device. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 initiate a configuring of media content of the set of the media content files at the network-based storage for playback at the remote playback device; and 
 initiate a delivery of the configured media content to a packet-based media arrangement for storage. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 receive format information for the delivery of the set of the media content files associated with the requested playlists, wherein the format information includes at least two formats of media content files corresponding to the at least one requested media content title, and the at least two formats of media content files are determined based, on at least one of: one or more data types the remote playback device can handle, characteristics of an expected delivery medium for the delivery to the remote playback device, a desired quality of media content of the remote playback device, a desired bandwidth for the delivery, a media content access history for a registered user's media content, a default format predefined for a playlist use, or a combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 initiate a storage of the media content and the playlist data using a file structure that identifies at least two of the media content files having different bitrates for a media content title; 
 initiate a storing storage of information identifying the different bitrates of the at least two media content files; and 
 initiate a delivery of at least one of the at least two media content files having at least one appropriate bitrate associated with the requested playlists specifying the at least one commonly requested media content title. 
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 determine that a media content file is available at the network-based storage yet not in a desired format; and 
 initiate a delivery of the media content file in the desired format to the network-based storage based, at least in part, on the determination. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 initiate a presentation of a webpage at the remote playback device; 
 receive a user input specifying media content to be placed in a playlist; and 
 initiate a delivery of the specified media content for the playlist for storage in the network-based storage for remote access. 
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 initiate a storage of the media content files accessible under different playlists designated to disparate registered users at the network-based storage based, at least in part, on a file structure for registered users including the disparate registered users, wherein the disparate registered users have separate rights to access the media content files, and 
 initiate a delivery of the media content files accessible under the different playlists for media content titles to the remote playback device based, at least in part, on the file structure, in response to a request for a playlist designated to at least one of the disparate registered users. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 initiate a streaming of the the set of the media content files associated with the at least one commonly requested media content title in the requested playlists to the remote playback device. 
 
     
     
       10. A method comprising:
 initiating, by a host server, a storage of media content and playlist data at a network-based storage based, at least in part, on cross-referencing content mapping that identifies one or more media content titles each of which is under at least two playlists without duplicating media content files for the one or more media content titles in the network-based storage, wherein the cross-referencing content mapping identifies at least two formats of media content files for each of the one or more media content titles; 
 authenticating, by the host server, playlist requests received via a packet-based network, wherein requested playlists in the playlist requests identify at least one commonly requested media content title belonging to two or more of the requested playlists; and 
 initiating, by the host server, a delivery of a set of the media content files from the network-based storage via the packet-based network to a remote playback device based, at least in part, on the cross-referencing content mapping that identifies the set of the media content files being associated with the requested playlists and including the at least one commonly requested media content title. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further including:
 receiving format information for the delivery of the set of the media content files associated with the requested playlists, wherein the format information includes at least two formats of media content files corresponding to the at least one commonly requested media content title, and the at least two formats of media content files are determined based, at least in part, on a device type of the remote playback device. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 10 , further including:
 initiating a configuring of media content of the set of the media content files at the network-based storage for playback at the remote playback device; and 
 initiating a delivery of the configured media content to a packet-based media arrangement for storage. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 10 , further including:
 receiving format information for the delivery of the set of the media content files associated with the requested playlists, wherein the format information includes at least two formats of media content files corresponding to the at least one commonly requested media content title, and the at least two formats of media content files are determined based, on at least one of: one or more data types the remote playback device can handle, characteristics of an expected delivery medium for the delivery to the remote playback device, a desired quality of media content of the remote playback device, a desired bandwidth for the delivery, a media content access history for a registered user's media content, a default format predefined for a playlist use, or a combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 10 , further including:
 initiating a storage of the media content and the playlist data using a file structure that identifies at least two of the media content files having different bitrates for a media content title; 
 initiating a storage of information identifying the different bitrates of the at least two media content files; and 
 initiating a delivery of at least one of the at least two media content files having at least one appropriate bitrate associated with the requested playlists specifying the at least one commonly requested media content title. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 10 , further including:
 determining that a media content file is available at the network-based storage yet not in a desired format; and 
 initiating a delivery of the media content file in the desired format to the network-based storage based, at least in part, on the determination. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 10 , further including:
 initiating a presentation of a webpage at the remote playback device; 
 receiving a user input specifying media content to be placed in a playlist; and 
 initiating a delivery of the specified media content for the playlist for storage in the network-based storage for remote access. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 10 , further including:
 initiating a storage of the media content files accessible under different playlists designated to disparate registered users at the network-based storage based, at least in part, on a file structure for registered users including the disparate registered users, wherein the disparate registered users have separate rights to access the media content files, and 
 initiating a delivery of the media content files accessible under the different playlists for media content titles to the remote playback device based, at least in part, on the file structure, in response to a request for a playlist designated to at least one of the disparate registered users. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 10 , further including:
 initiating a streaming of the for the set of the media content files associated with the at least one commonly requested media content title in the requested playlists to the remote playback device. 
 
     
     
       19. An apparatus comprising:
 at least one processor; and 
 at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, 
 the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,
 store media content and playlist data based, at least in part, on cross-referencing content mapping that identifies one or more media content titles each of which is under at least two playlists without duplicating media content files for the one or more media content titles in the apparatus, wherein the cross-referencing content mapping identifies at least two formats of media content files for each of the one or more media content titles; 
 receive a user input over a packet-based network associated with a playback of at least two playlists each including at least one commonly requested media content title; 
 configure media content for the playback at a remote playback device based on the cross-referencing content mapping that identifies a set of the media content files being associated with the at least two playlists and including the at least one commonly requested media content title; and 
 deliver the media content as configured to the remote playback device. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the apparatus is further caused to:
 send format information for the delivery of the set of the media content files associated with the at least two playlists, wherein the format information includes at least two formats of media content files corresponding to the at least one commonly requested media content title, and the at least two formats of media content files are determined based, at least in part, on a device type of the remote playback device.